The chain traces ownership through successive deeds from an original source to the present holder. Gaps, wild deeds outside the chain, and defective conveyances create title problems.
Recording acts determine priority among competing claims.
Alternative Names:
Title Chain|Record Chain
Why it Matters?
Wild deeds recorded outside the chain do not give constructive notice in most jurisdictions, which means a purchaser is not charged with knowledge of a conveyance recorded before the grantor acquired title or after they conveyed away. That principle protects buyers but also means a recorded interest may be unenforceable against them. Recording act type, whether race, notice, or race-notice, determines priority and varies by state.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What is a wild deed?
Why does recording act type matter?
